Emma joined BTO in 2012 as a trainee and has been with the firm’s Corporate Team since qualification. As a key member of the team, she is involved in advising a broad range of clients on all aspects of corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracts, investments and joint ventures.

She also has experience in relation to banking and finance transactions and restructuring, acting for institutional investors, funders, companies seeking investment and banks.

Scott has over 20 years’ commercial property experience with an extensive track record in a wide range of commercial property transactions across all sectors including office, retail, leisure, industrial and student accommodation.

As well as mainstream acquisitions and sales and landlord and tenant work, Scott has significant experience of large cross border portfolio transactions, strategic site assembly and development projects, substantial investment transactions and real estate advice and support to insolvency practitioners.

He acts for a wide spectrum of property investment and development clients ranging from private investors and property companies to public and third sector bodies.

Has acted on a number of substantial high value deals in the last year for a range of clients which include, for example, three significant office investment purchases in Glasgow for Robt Jones Holdings (New Zealand’s largest property investment company); London based investors including Wittington Investments (investment arm of the Weston family, 50% owners of Associated British Foods and 100% owners of Fortnum & Mason); and foreign based investors including Quatar based Investra and Al Ajlan & Brothers (one of Saudia Arabia’s largest international corporations). Highest profile deal within the last 12 months involved acting for vendor of strategic riverfront site in relation to sale to Drum Property Group, the major part of which site as to be developed as one of Barclays Bank’s Global Hubs supporting initially 2,500 jobs.

Scott’s client base extends also into the broader commercial world and testimony to this is the fact he is lead client partner for the United Wholesale Group (Scotland’s largest Cash and Carry business) and the Scott Group (the UK’s largest pallet manufacturer) with each business having an annual turnover well in excess of £100m.

Clients, intermediaries and colleagues are all impressed by Scott’s proactive, pragmatic and considered approach which, allied with his ability to focus on what matters, helps ensure clients’ objectives are met.

External Appointments

Founder Executive Committee Member of Glasgow Property Professionals, Member of Investment Property Federation and Member of Commercial Real Estate Lawyer’s Association.

Dorothy has over 30 years’ commercial litigation and dispute resolution experience covering a broad range of disciplines. She has wide-ranging experience of the courts, not only the Sheriff Courts and the Court of Session but also the Supreme Court of the UK. An exceptional communicator, she is focused, direct and assertive. Described as commercially minded, Dorothy’s business acumen makes her a valuable ally for any client. Dorothy is “recommended” for Insolvency and Corporate Recovery (Legal 500) and is a notable practitioner for Banking Litigation (Chambers UK) where her "thorough and logical thinking" is appreciated and she is noted as being "highly determined" and "very focused".

Dorothy’s clients comprise banks, other lending institutions, public companies, insolvency practitioners, directors and shareholders. She is instructed regularly in relation to both secured and unsecured recoveries and fraud cases and is part of BTO’s banking team. Sources label her a "trusted adviser" and commend the way she "drives the case from start to finish." (Chambers UK)

Dorothy is known for her expertise in the highly technical and specialised field of insolvency litigation. She handles a wide and varied caseload, acting for insolvency practitioners both North and South of the Border in both personal and corporate insolvencies. She also has extensive experience in dealing with shareholder disputes in the context of private limited companies, directors’ disqualification proceedings and the provision of mediation services.

After Hours

Dorothy is an expert skier with a passion for the mountains. She also has a keen interest in animal welfare issues.

Grant is an experienced litigator specialising in commercial dispute resolution, including corporate and property litigation, insolvency, asset recovery as well as commercial debt recovery litigation.

He has a long and successful track record in these areas, having appeared regularly in Sheriff Courts and Tribunals throughout Scotland since 1991. Grant also litigates in the Court of Session and conducts arbitration and mediation for commercial clients.

He is responsible for managing BTO’s significant commercial recoveries caseload in Scotland: secured recoveries on behalf of major UK banks and venture capitalists and unsecured recoveries for banking and other commercial clients, ranging from worldwide credit card companies, European credit insurers, PLCs, Registered Social Landlords, property factors and small and medium sized businesses throughout Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Grant also acts for insolvency practitioners in personal and corporate insolvencies and for other Chartered Accountants in commercial disputes. Via Mackrell International, he is involved from time to time in cross border dispute resolution.

The talented group of lawyers and paralegals whom he manages enjoys high rankings in the recognised UK legal directories. The team is described as, "extremely approachable and always helpful and constructive” (Chambers UK) and is praised for its "strong communications skills" and "technical prowess". (Chambers UK)

After Hours

Golf, football, squash, cricket, travel. Grant speaks German and French fluently, and holds an M.A. degree in these languages. He spent a year working in Munich.

Kirsteen has wide-ranging experience of handling litigation for businesses and individuals, not only at the Sheriff Courts and the Court of Session but also the Supreme Court of the UK.

Described in the Legal 500 as 'friendly and knowledgeable', she advises business and personal clients daily, on litigation issues and remedies arising out of a range of commercial contracts.

Kirsteen has a wealth of experience in debt recovery actions, including protective diligence and enforcement action, both in Scotland and in other jurisdictions.

Kirsteen regularly acts for Trustees under Trust Deeds and Sequestrations, Receivers, Administrators and Liquidators. She holds the Certificate of Proficiency in Insolvency (Scotland) qualification, from the Insolvency Practitioners’ Association. The CPI is a most respected qualification, one which very few Scottish lawyers possess. The qualification provides added value and expertise to the clients who Kirsteen represents, fulfilling her aim in securing it.

Kirsteen is also an Affiliate member of the Insolvency Practitioners Association and of the Institute of Credit Management. She is also involved with the R3 Scottish Women in Insolvency Group, a networking forum to help business development challenges faced by women working in the industry.

After Hours

Kirsteen is a keen tennis player and runner but also enjoys taking part in and watching all sports. She has competed in the Edinburgh, New York (x2) and Belfast marathons for charity and has completed numerous half marathons. She also enjoys socialising, particularly eating out and trying new bars and restaurants, and travelling, especially city breaks.

Robin Macpherson is a Solicitor Advocate with over 30 years’ experience spanning most aspects of civil and commercial litigation. Described as “excellent” and “extremely commercial in his thinking” (Chambers UK).

Experienced in property litigation, contract, professional liability, insolvency and general commercial litigation, Robin has acted in a range of high value disputes representing national and global clients in Sheriff Courts, the Court of Session (both as solicitor and as solicitor advocate) and at various tribunals and hearings.

Clients value Robin’s commercial approach to dispute resolution and have confidence in his handling of difficult litigation.

Robin has been rated as an expert in commercial litigation, professional liability, insolvency and property litigation in The Legal 500 and Chambers UK legal directories over the past decade. He has longstanding experience of the Commercial Court of the Court of Session and is praised for “his ability to grasp the crux of an argument”.

External Appointments

Member of: Law Society Guarantee Fund Committee; ARDL (Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers); PNLA (Professional Negligence Lawyers Association) and Society of Solicitor Advocates. Formerly a member of the Law Society Civil Justice Committee and the Court of Session Rules Council.

Ann has both contentious and non-contentious construction skills and vast experience in dealing with claims for engineers and building consultants. Her practice includes proceedings in the courts, arbitration and adjudication. Clients describe her as "very thorough and knowledgeable." (Chambers UK)

Ann is actively involved with BTO’s insurance, professional liability, house building, social housing, insolvency and corporate recovery and renewable energy teams.

Ann also has a comprehensive knowledge of construction industry contracts and appointments. She sits on the SBCC Committee and the Drafting Sub Committee and has performed the prestigious role of drafting the SBCC 2005 suite of contracts, through the 2009 and 2011 Revisions. She has ongoing responsibilities for 2012 and 2013 revisals. She has also advised the ACE on their appointment documents.

Ann advises and lectures regularly on JCT, SBCC and NEC contracts.

Ann is a Member of the Society of Construction Law and lectures frequently to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Andrew Sleigh is a very experienced corporate lawyer with a focus on the SME marketplace.

He has handled countless M&A transactions, investment negotiations, board room splits and shareholder disputes. He is viewed as "a capable lawyer with quite a following" and is especially noted for his expertise in shareholder and partnership matters. (Chambers UK)

Andrew is well known for his involvement in sports law, particularly in the arenas of football, boxing and golf. He has a band 1 ranking for sports law and is considered “hugely experienced, smart and knows the business inside out." (Chambers UK)

Andrew is an accredited insolvency expert and has advised both insolvency practitioners and directors, often against a highly controversial backdrop or on novel legal points.

Andrew was educated at the Universities of Glasgow, Amsterdam and Virginia.

After Hours

Past Captain of Pollok Golf Club and also plays at Royal Troon and the Golf House Club, Elie. A great admirer of Edward Hopper's art and Brian Wilson's music.

Wendy is a Solicitor Advocate with extended rights of audience in the Supreme Court and the Court of Session. She has specialised in litigation throughout her legal career and has worked in Glasgow, London and Edinburgh.

Wendy has been a practising Solicitor Advocate since 2004. She appears regularly in the Court of Session now mainly in reparation cases although she also has considerable experience of commercial cases. Her clients include large insurance companies.

Wendy’s personal injury practice includes industrial disease cases as well as employers’ liability and public liability cases at all levels including catastrophic injury cases. Over the last few years she has increasingly specialised in high value and complex cases. She has conducted several Court of Session Proofs alone and has successfully acted as Junior Counsel for the Defender in a Jury Trial.

Wendy is one of the few Solicitor Advocates to appear regularly in the Court of Session. She has extensive knowledge of Court of Session practice and procedure and is also qualified to practise as a solicitor in England and Wales.

David has a recognised technical ability in a range of areas combined with broad legal experience. Clients appreciate his sensible, determined and pragmatic approach to dispute resolution.

With particular interest in property based litigation, David is consulted by clients in matters such as property damage, boundary disputes, commercial leasing, title obligations, and housing law (public and private sectors). He has for a number of years acted for some of Scotland’s largest property factors such as Life Property Management and Speirs Gumley. He recently presented at the annual conference of The Property Managers’ Association Scotland.

Significant court actions he has managed recently include a substantial indemnity claim against a Lloyds of London Syndicate; an action in relation to commercial premises now before the Supreme Court (ELB Securities Ltd v Alan Love & Prestwick Hotels Ltd [2015] CSIH 67); a £1.3 million claim against Network Rail; and the defence of a claim by a tenant for damages due to an alleged breach of the lease of commercial premises.

David is also an integral part of BTO’s renowned social housing team through which he acts for a number of registered social landlords who include The Clyde Valley Group, Argyll Community Housing Association and Kingdom Housing Association. Highly regarded by Senior Management teams and housing officers they appreciate that they can delegate day to day case management to him.

After Hours

The very occasional friendly game of rugby for the Burnbrae Bulls. West of Scotland FC (Club Captain 2009-2011). Enjoys helping out on the family farm and forestry business.

“The level of service has always been excellent, with properly experienced solicitors dealing with appropriate cases"Legal 500